1Myriad dharmas are only mind. Mind is unobtainable. What is there to seek?2If the Buddha-Nature is seen,there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.3Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.4With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,the six paramitas and myriad meansare complete within that essence.

Publishing companies really need to get their act together. It doesn't matter how much you complain about copyright infringement, people will share these books. With kindles and eBook readers, and even tablet PCs, becoming so popular, people will be all the more inclined to download books.

If they offered the pdfs on their websites at an affordable price (rather than just a marginal markdown from a printed edition), they might innovate a new business model for themselves.

I would certainly pay $3.99 (or less) for an e-reader version of any book I buy since I only buy books used from Amazon and their shipping is $3.99 minimum... or from Strand and other used book stores. Once I started reading a lot, the idea of paying $15 - $30 for a single book seemed frigging preposterous to me. In fact, as of late, I started going to the library once I realized the quality of books NYC libraries carry.

"Use what seems like poison as medicine. We can use our personal suffering as the path to compassion for all beings." Pema Chodron

padma norbu wrote:I would certainly pay $3.99 (or less) for an e-reader version of any book I buy since I only buy books used from Amazon and their shipping is $3.99 minimum... or from Strand and other used book stores. Once I started reading a lot, the idea of paying $15 - $30 for a single book seemed frigging preposterous to me. In fact, as of late, I started going to the library once I realized the quality of books NYC libraries carry.

Well that's just it -- the ebook editions are usually only marginally less expensive than the printed editions. Clearly the cost is not in the actual printing and binding, but all the overhead fees and so on. Authors of academic works often get paid beans. Royalty checks for $21. You put more money into a work than you ever get back.

Clearly the system is rigged.

If they instituted a model where books costs under $5 for digital versions, they might actually make more money rather than paying lawyers to combat piracy.

Copying sutras and other texts have been a major merit making activity among Buddhists. Digital media simply makes it easier to gain merit by spreading the teaching.

You can even roll a prayer wheel from home (Hungarian site, no English, button is at the bottom of the homepage, you can also leave a message above it): http://www.imamalom.hu/

1Myriad dharmas are only mind. Mind is unobtainable. What is there to seek?2If the Buddha-Nature is seen,there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.3Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.4With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,the six paramitas and myriad meansare complete within that essence.

Mr. G wrote:There are those of us who already have physical copies of books, but would like access to e-book versions.

Yup. For example I always thought I'd be great if Amazon offered free e-book versions of the physical books I bought, but since it doesn't, torrents are great hehe. I also like it because that way I can preview the whole book.

Although many individuals in this age appear to be merely indulging their worldly desires, one does not have the capacity to judge them, so it is best to train in pure vision.- Shabkar

Mr. G wrote:There are those of us who already have physical copies of books, but would like access to e-book versions.

Yup. For example I always thought I'd be great if Amazon offered free e-book versions of the physical books I bought, but since it doesn't, torrents are great hehe. I also like it because that way I can preview the whole book.

I do the same - only downloading if I have already bought the physical book or if the book is out of print and no way I can buy it. Especially useful with books with lots of foot/endnotes - use both physical and electronic copy to reference back and forth.

If you believe certain words, you believe their hidden arguments. When you believe something is right or wrong, true of false, you believe the assumptions in the words which express the arguments. Such assumptions are often full of holes, but remain most precious to the convinced.

As expensive as book are, they are still dirt cheap compared to what is coming. Time to buy printed books is NOW! Price gap between printed books and e-books will go up and at some point many books will only be available in electronic form.